Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik on Sunday inaugurated Kargil Ladakh Tourism Festival-2019 at Khree Sultan Cho Sports Stadium Kargil.
Speaking on the occasion, the Governor observed that thetwin districts of Kargil and Leh of Ladakh Division have huge tourism potentialand emphasized on organizing more events like the Tourism Festival to promotethe diverse tourism opportunities available in the region.
The Governor said that the expansion work of Kargil Airportfor which Rs 200 crores have already been sanctioned will be taken up soon.
This will not only provide round the year connectivity butalso give a new dimension to the tourism sector in the region, he added.
The Governor said that the State Administration is committedfor the holistic development of Ladakh division and concrete measures areunderway to pursue this goal. Government is taking strict measures to bringtransparency in the system and removing various bottlenecks in the path of progressand development, he added.
Governor Malik on the occasion, announced the establishmentof two degree colleges for Kargil district including a Women’s Degree College.He said that a 2500 MW solar power project will be starting soon to augmentpower sector in Kargil.
He also inspected and appreciated the various stalls oflocal handicrafts, handloom, agricultural and horticulture products, ethnicfood and ancient artefacts which had been put up by various Governmentdepartments and social groups.
Feroz Ahmad Khan, Chairman and Chief Executive CouncillorLAHDC, Kargil expressed his gratitude to the Governor on behalf of the peopleof Kargil district for having fulfilled the long pending demands of the peopleby granting divisional status to Ladakh, creation of 495 posts for LadakhDivision and allotment of equal number of directorates to both districts,sanctioning of Rs 200 crores for expansion of Kargil Airport and Rs 280 croresfor completion of languishing projects.
The CEC also projected several demands and sought theintervention of the Governor for their early redressal including establishmentof women’s police station and IRP Battalion in the district, early start ofwork on Zojila Tunnel and release of the pending dues of casual labourers.
Various multicultural music and dance performances werepresented by the artists of the Purgi, Balti and Shina Dardi ethnic tribes anda polo exhibition match was also organized to mark the occasion.
Others who were present on the occasion included Haji AnayatAli, Chairman, Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Council, Feroz Ahmad Khan,Chairman and Chief Executive Councillor LAHDC, Kargil, Jamyang Tsering Namgyal,Member Parliament, Er Phunsog Tashi, Syed Mujtaba, Syed Abbass Razvi, MuhammadAli Chandan- Executive Councillors, Maj. Gen Sanjeev Dogra, GOC 8 Mountain Division, Prasanna RamaswamyG, Additional Secretary, Tourism , Baseer ul Haq Choudhary, Deputy Commissionerand CEO, LAHDC, Kargil, Dr Vinod Kumar, Superintendent of Police Kargil, Sh.Nissar Ahmed Wani, Director Tourism Kashmir, Councillors of LAHDC Kargil werepresent among other dignitaries on the occasion.